


Snail Mail

by iamdkscully



Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Challenge Response, Digital Art, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-01
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-02-06 23:48:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1877070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamdkscully/pseuds/iamdkscully
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack sends Sam a love letter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snail Mail

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [campylobacter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/campylobacter/pseuds/campylobacter) in the [QCC2014Q2](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/QCC2014Q2) collection. 



> My muse chose to wait until the last minute so this work has not been beta'd. All mistakes are purely my own.

Dear Sam,

I'm leaving today. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone and I wanted to make sure that this went through the gate this week in case my trip takes longer than expected. Stop scowling, there's no need to worry, its just some red tape that has to be taken care of and I'm _literally_ the only one on Earth who can do the job.

This week was bittersweet. I'm sorry you had to miss seeing her again, but Cassie was home. Its too bad Doc Frasier isn't around to see that Cass is almost a real doc herself. I hope when she comes work for the SGC that she doesn't bring her mother's affinity for the big needles, but then again, I guess I won't really have to worry about that. She misses you terribly so I had to promise her and Vala that you would get all of the “girlie stuff” they put together for you. I tried to tell them that you didn't need five different kinds of polish or three different body washes, but they went on and on about how girls need options and I got a little glassy eyed and stopped arguing before they started quoting the  _Cosmo_  they packed for you. 

Cass and I went to visit them yesterday, Daniel and Vala. I thought my eyes might actually stick in the back of my head at one point. I love them, Sam, I really do, but I just don't understand them sometimes. When I got bored of all of the “girl talk”, I camped out in their living room. Amazingly I found a magazine that wasn't an archaeology journal, _National Geographic_ (yeah, I know I have my own stash, but would it kill him to have just one issue of _Sports Illustrated_ around for me?), or a copy of _Vogue_ and I found this article.

 

_8 Signs You're in the Right Relationship_

(I hope you know that this just scratches the surface.)

 

I have included a case of blue jello with today's letter. I _still_ don't understand how that stuff compares to cake, but I love to watch your face light up like a kid at Christmas when you have a bowl in front of you. I know you love the little things.

 

 

Maybe its our military backgrounds and all of those years of being _Sir_ and _Carter_ , but do you remember the last time we had a fight? I suppose being in two different galaxies helps on that front, huh? Anyway, I love that you are never afraid to point out when I'm a dumbass and I thank you for always fighting fair to prove it to me when I'm too much of a dumbass to see that I'm a dumbass and for accepting that sometimes that's just the way its going to be.

 

 

I know that when people see us together they wonder what I'm doing with such a hot blonde. And you know how I feel about cliches, but somehow, the fact that you're hot makes me feel like I'm not an over-the-hill, washed up, old soldier. That's right, Carter, you're my arm candy and when I'm in my dress blues and you're wearing that sexy little black strappy number that you wore on my birthday I'll admit that my ego is most definitely stroked by the stares you get. I just focus on the fact that no matter where the night takes us, all that sexiness is coming home with _me_. Don't shake your head at me, you know you're hot.

 

(See, I told you.  You're hot!)

It's funny, the major differences between us have never been due to age. We share a love for classical music and classic rock, we both love the Simpsons (ok, I love the Simpsons, but you love that I love the Simpsons, right), we both love old movies. But, lets face it, you're idea of relaxing is jumping on your Harley or Indian and riding down the freeway at who-the-hell-knew-the-bike-could-go-that-fast MPH. Me, I like fishing. But, that's not to say we both don't give a little to get a little sometimes (yes, _that_ is _exactly_ what I mean now get you're mind out of the gutter!).

 

 

Well, this one is pretty much a given since I'm pretty sure that they all knew about how we felt before we knew how we felt or at least before we would admit to how we felt. Especially Teal'c with his weird Jaffa spidey sense. In fact, I'm pretty sure that the raised eye brow thing was just his way of telling me to stop being such an idiot. You know, it's hard to believe he's such a romantic with all of his way-of-the-warrior crap. And, he has such a soft spot for you that I'll admit it makes me a little jealous sometimes.  Don't shake your head at me, if he wasn't like an older brother to me I might be worried.  

 

 

I miss your giggle. The one that I get to hear when my fingers trail down your neck from your ear to your collarbone. The one that lets me know you are right on the edge between ticklish or turned on. The one that somehow changes from a laugh to a purr when I hit all the right spots. The ones I get laying in the dark talking about nothing and everything. And, the ones that send me back to a time when a giggle gave me life in a cold dark cavern. Most people think that when you're naked, no one should be laughing, but I _relish_ that sound, I _crave_ it, and I will do _anything_ for it.

 

 

Before I met you, I'm not sure I was really living because you took my breath away that day and when I tried to breath again my world was turned on end. In the same way someone who's lost one of their senses has to adjust and re-learn how to survive on their own, I had to reevaluate the way I was just existing. You have been the most important thing in my life since long before I said, I do.  Everything I do, I do for a chance to give us our "one day," our our happily-ever-after, our _Always_.  

 

 

I wake up every morning reaching for you.

I pick up the phone in the middle of my day to tell you something funny, or complain about how Daniel is driving me crazy, or just to tell you I love you and I always let it ring three times before I hang up because even though I know you won't, I still hope you'll answer.

I eat alone almost every night unless Daniel or T is here on a visit. And, when I go to bed every night, I reach for your pillow and pull it close, desperate for just a hint of what it was like to have you lying next to me.

God, Sam, sometimes I miss you so much its hard to function because the truth is that you are such a part of my heart that it just doesn't beat the same without you. Please stay safe and don't take any crazy SG-1 style risks while you're out there. I just couldn't take getting _that_ call.

Always,

Jack

P.S. I don't remember which pictures you took with you, aside from that one of me in my patrol cap. I think Daniel took that picture when we were on P6- yada-yada-something. So, just in case I haven't been uncharacteristically sappy enough, here's one from our wedding.  You are beautiful.  I love you.

 

 

 

**THREE WEEKS LATER**

  
She'd been trying to answer his letter for weeks.  Unfortunately, it seemed like one crisis after another would not let her sit down for more than a few minutes at a time, let alone give her a chance to indulge in personal correspondence.  She hadn't even been able to return half her e-mails and those were to people here in the city.  But, today it was quiet.  No crises, no immediate dangers, nothing looming on the horizon but a visit from the  _Daedelus._

So she made herself a cup of tea and sat down at her desk.

_Dear Jack,_

_I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to respond to your last letter.  No rest for the wicked, right?_

_I can't believe I missed another visit from Cassie. I'm telling you now that when I come home, she's going to stay with us for a month so we can catch up on everything I'm missing.  You're right, Janet would be so proud of her, I know I am. Thank you for allowing her and Vala to send along the “girlie stuff.” And, yes, they are right, women do love to have options. Have you ever seen me pack only one pair of shoes? And No, going off-world does not count._

_As for the rest of your letter, Jack, you are lucky I read it in my quarters and not in my office because I swear to God that if you make me cry in front of my staff, I will make you pay (and no, it will_ not _be in a good way!)._

 _Time seems to be moving awfully slowly here.  Don't roll your eyes.  It's true.  There's not a day that goes by that I don't second guess the decision we made for me to come here. Don't get me wrong, I love the city and the people I've been working with, but none of it compares to being able to wake up in the morning with you, spend my day with you, and every night crawl into_ our _nice, warm bed.  Nights are the worst for me, Jack.  Though nightmares come and go with the same frequency they always have, it's the empty space next to me and the cold pillow in my hands that truly leave me feeling alone..._

 

Sam paused in her writing and sighed. She knew she wouldn't be able to finish the letter today and she knew that even if she did, it would be another three days before she could send it with the weekly data burst to the SGC.

She wasn't lying, she really did love it here. But, at the same time, she awoke every morning with a heavy heart and a sense of longing. It'd been over six months since she and Jack had been in the same room together. Six months since she'd felt the touch of his lips, his hands, his body wrapped so tightly around her that she didn't know where she ended and he began.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Colonel Sheppard's voice in her ear. “Colonel?”

“Yes, John?”

“I thought you might like to know that the _Daedelus_ is here. I've given Colonel Caldwell the go ahead to set her down.”

She picked up the wedding photo that Jack had sent and a sad smile met her lips.

John's voice startled her out of her reverie. "Sam?"

"Sorry, yes, thank you, John, I'm on my way.”

She took her time walking down to the landing pad where  _Daedelus_  was alight.  She trusted her staff and the crew of the ship to do their jobs efficiently.  But as she got closer, a strange feeling of trepidation found her and as the door slid open and she stepped outside, her heart jumped to her throat. For a moment she thought she might be hallucinating but then she heard, “Carter!” and gave him a smile so bright it put twin suns to shame.

As badly as she wanted to run into his arms, she willed her body into a walk until she stood in front of him.  She was so close that she could smell his aftershave as the breeze washed over them.

“Red tape, Sir?”

“Tape. Ribbon. Not much difference you know.” He smirked at her while holding up a small black box wrapped with a ruby colored ribbon.

“I've missed you,” he whispered as she looked down at him placing the box in her hand. She finally looked back up at him when she was sure she could hold back her tears, and then turned and gave Sheppard a nod. She knew that his slight nod in acknowledgment meant she needn't worry, he had things under control.

“Shall we?” she asked as she gestured toward the door with her free hand.

"Yes, lets."

They walked quietly back to her quarters, both seeming too afraid to break the peaceful silence.

“I guess this is our stop.” He grinned as he waved his hand over the sensor and opened the door.

She stared momentarily, mouth agape.  “How did you do that? No one is supposed to be able to open my door but me.”

He smirked as he gently pushed her inside. “Being a General has its perks, but being a General with the Ancient gene on Atlantis, well, that has some serious advantages.”

The door closed behind them and for a moment they just stood there staring at one another. Finally Jack stepped forward and her body automatically responded as she wrapped herself in his embrace.  After what seemed like only moments and yet years all at once, Jack spoke.

“You gonna open that?”

She pulled away slightly and then led him over to the couch where they sat, side-by-side, knees touching, legs pressed together up to the hip. She sighed as his arm reached around her and he pulled her all the way against him, his hand resting on her shoulder.

She slowly pulled the ribbon off of the box, removed the top, and tipped the contents out into her hand. She stared at the two pieces of metal slowly warming from the heat of her body then turned to face him.

“Your dog tags?”

“Red tape, Carter, remember. I finally convinced those pencil-pushing bureaucrats in D.C. that _this_ is where I belong.”

Tears stung her eyes as she thought about the implications of what he was saying. “They let you retire?”

“Sort of. I'm going to be a consultant as needed in dealing with our alien allies, but my duties at the Pentagon are now assigned to someone else. I plan on spending the rest of your commission here with you, or,” he waived his hand in a circle over their heads, “out there, or wherever your orders may take you. We're a package deal from now on, Sam. Wherever you go, I go.”

He grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her.   It was everything he remembered, soft and sensual and desperate and hungry all at once. As he needed his next breath, he needed her.  And, as they fell into each other's arms once again, he felt it, his heart skipped a beat and his whole world synced with hers. She giggled when he unzipped her jacket and ran finger down the side of her neck from her ear to her collarbone. He sighed and she placed a hand over his heart, smiling as she felt it beat in time with her own.

 

 


End file.
